CBSA's March FOCUS Newsletter Features Covidien's New R&D Innovation Center

FOCUS Newsletter Page 2 Company Spotlight: "Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, recently announced the opening of a 63,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Research & Development (R&D) Innovation Center in Boulder, CO.

In the last five years, Covidien has doubled R&D investments and introduced more than 100 new products. The Company’s goal is to continue to increase R&D spending to 5%-to-6% of sales, as it launches more than 50 products during the next two years. The opening of the Innovation Center in Boulder will be a catalyst for the expansion of R&D capabilities, spurring collaboration and creativity, while decreasing product time-to-market."

Other March FOCUS content includes:

From CBSA President Holli Riebel - Page 1
Medical Device Liability Protection - Page 3
Biotech Pharma Symposium - Page 4
Upcoming Events - Page 5

Link to the March FOCUS Newsletter pdf

New Report Released: 'Research in Your Backyard' - Developing Cures, Creating Jobs in Colorado

Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) commends PhRMA and the We Work for Health initiative for drawing important attention to the 1,400+ clinical trials for chronic diseases currently being conducted in Colorado, of which more than 280 are actively recruiting patients suffering with chronic conditions such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and stroke. The announcement is made by Holli Riebel, CBSA President & CEO, who today joined with colleagues from both the public and private sectors, including Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, at a State Capitol News Conference to applaud the release of PhRMA's new report: “Research in Your Backyard.”

In addition to providing new avenues of care for chronic disease sufferers, Riebel explains: “The biopharmaceutical industry in Colorado is a vital part of Colorado’s economy. This sector includes approximately 300 companies employing over 5,410 with average salaries of $93,000. Not only are these high paying high tech jobs but each are working on the innovative life saving medicines of the future.“

In Colorado, according to the report, "biopharmaceutical companies have the luxury of having trials conducted at the states’ well-respected university medical schools, comprehensive cancer centers and clinical trial research centers. According to U.S. News and World Report, University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine ranked 38th among this year’s top 100 research-oriented medical schools in the United States."

“Research in Your Backyard” is a comprehensive look at pharmaceutical clinical trials in Colorado. Biopharmaceutical research companies are conducting or have conducted more than 3,000 clinical trials of new medicines in collaboration with the state’s clinical research centers, university medical schools and hospitals. Of the more than 3,000 clinical trials, 1,427 target or have targeted the nation’s six most debilitating chronic diseases – asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental illnesses and stroke.

For more information, link to the report:

http://www.cobioscience.com/resources/2012_Colorado_ResearchInYourBackyard.pdf

Governor Hickenlooper's remarks about Bioscience and Clinical Research in Colorado:

http://youtu.be/m7NUhWBskOA

Link to the Business Wire release

Link to the PitchEngine Social Media Release

MedCity News: 'Mayo Clinic Ventures’ chair leaving to bolster bioscience efforts in Colorado'

Quoting from the website dedicated to covering news from the country's elite medical cities:

"A Colorado redevelopment authority charged with developing a bioscience district near the University of Colorado campus in Aurora has appointed the head of Mayo Clinic Ventures as its new leader.

Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority announced that Steve VanNurden will become the group’s new president and CEO starting in late May. FRA was created in 1996 as a partnership between the University of Colorado and the city of Aurora. Now, FRA in partnership with the University, the city of Aurora and the Children’s hospital and other public entities have acquired land that is part of an ambitious effort to transform the area from an old army medical center into a thriving bioscience hub."

Link to the news posting

Rochester Post-Bulletin: 'Van Nurden departs Mayo'

Quoting from coverage today by Jeff Kiger:

"The head of a Mayo Clinic branch that commercializes its patents and inventions is moving on to a new position with the city of Aurora, Colo.

Steve Van Nurden, the chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures, has been hired as the president and chief executive officer of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority in Aurora. That means he will be in charge of developing the 180-acre Colorado Science + Technology Park.

He will start his new job in May."

Link to the news item

Kiger also blogged about the news yesterday in the posting 'Mayo Clinic Ventures leader leaving for Colorado gig' - link to read

Twin Cities Business Journal: 'Mayo executive named CEO of Colorado life science group'

Quoting from yesterday's posting on the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal site:

"Mayo Clinic executive Steve VanNurden has been named CEO of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, which supports life science companies in Colorado.

VanNurden is chairman of Mayo Clinic Ventures, which is responsible for patenting and commercializing Mayo’s discoveries, inventions and other intellectual property.

More than 45 startups based on technology from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo have formed under VanNurden's leadership."

Link to the news item

DBJ: 'Mayo Clinic exec to lead Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority'

Quoting from Heather Draper's news posting yesterday:

"The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority (FRA) has named Mayo Clinic executive Steve VanNurden as its new president and CEO, beginning in late May...

VanNurden will be working with universities, local economic development agencies, state and local governments, and the bioscience industry to promote the development of the 180-acre Colorado Science + Technology Park, adjacent to the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

The Colorado Science + Technology Park is the center of The Fitzsimons Life Science District, one of the nation’s largest bioscience developments. The FRA directs the commercial developments in the Fitzsimons Life Science District, along with its partner, Forest City Science + Technology Group."

Link to the Denver Business Journal

Breaking News: 'Colorado's Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority Names New President & CEO'

Posted online yesterday by Margaret Jackson and in this morning's print edition (page 7B: 'Mayo leader comes to Fitzsimons'). Quoting the coverage:

"Following a nationwide search, the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority has named Steve VanNurden as its new president and chief executive

VanNurden currently is chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures, the invention arm of the Mayo Clinic. The division is responsible for patenting and commercializing Mayo's discoveries, inventions and other intellectual property. More than 45 startups based on Mayo technology have formed under VanNurden's leadership...

The third phase is hiring new management to replace Denise Brown, who has been serving as acting executive director. VanNurden starts his new job in May."

Link to denverpost.com